Let me preface this by saying that I am not an RJDC supporter, but neither am I a detractor. I am a supporter of ALPA and unions in general, up to a point. What most pilots fail to realize is that just because you can negotiate something, doesn't mean that it is good for the company or their careers in the long run (look at all the furloughed United and Delta pilots now - but hey, they got 'industry-leading contracts').
IFF: This is an interesting approach -
The scope states that anything above a certain percentage must be performed by Delta pilots.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the scope clause says that Delta Connection flying cannot exceed certain percentages of Delta Mainline block hours. This is a subtle, but important, difference. Your statement would lead one to believe that once the DCI limiting percentage is reached, Delta will then hire more mainline pilots to continue any projected growth. However, what it really means is that once the DCI limit is reached, without the required load factor to make money, all growth is stopped.
Why is it so hard to understand the economic reality of the airline business? (1) the airline exists to make money by moving people from A to B. (2) It does not exist to employ pilots at any cost. (3) If the smallest mainline aircraft is 150 seats, and only 50 people want to fly, they lose money. (4) If those 50 people are going to fly, with the airline making money, they need a 50-seat airplane. (5) Mainline didn't want RJ's.
Would you rather stop service to that 50-person community, rather than send in an airplane that can make money at that load factor?
If the RJDC wins, no labor contract's scope clause could stand and nothing would stop airline management from outsourcing all flying to the lowest bidder. Inagine Mesa flying Delta 777s with pilots paid $40 and hour.
My interpretation of the RJDC's suit is that they are not suing to eliminate scope, but rather to have a voice in the scope that directly effects their careers (as Delta employees). Mesa is not owned by Delta, and as such this argument does not apply to the RJDC argument. It seems that you're forgetting that the RJDC is not a random group of regional pilots from all over the country, but rather they are Delta employees (whether you want to realize that or not). Where exactly does the lawsuit say they want to fly 777's?
Do you really intend to fly a Cessna or Decathalon for the rest of your career? ALPA pilots are on the hiring boards of nearly every airline. They also conduct the interviews.
What does this have to do with AeroBoy's questioning the ethics of the ALPA higher-ups? Granted, his comparison to Enron was rather ill-conceived, but the ethics question was not.
You say you want to fly for an airline. Then you say you support the RJDC's efforts. These are incompatible.
Why? Last time I checked, ASA and Comair
were airlines. Do you know something the rest of us don't?
Braniff: you sir, need to look into the facts before spouting off.
Those are the same guys that couldn't figure out how to get hired by a global carrier when UAL, DAL, CAL, NWA and AMR had their hottest hiring cycles in our generation
How do you know who they are? How do you know whether they chose to apply elsewhere or not? I know a lot of pilots who will be very happy to finish their careers where they are, without starting over from the bottom with crappy schedules (granted, more money, but less QOL).
Try flying for a non-union airline and see where that gets you.
Well, it seems flying for Skywest (non-union) gets you pretty far these days, what with all the DFW flying they're getting in place of ASA and DL. And I haven't heard any Skywest pilots complaining about their work rules, pay, etc.
Why should you pay dues at ALPA? Because of the strike assessment that all of us at ALPA paid while Comair was on strike.
So, the only reason I should pay dues is for the handouts you are so gracious to give should my pilot group strike? Give me a break. I thought we paid dues so that we could be fairly represented.
The only thing that SUCKS is the fact that RJDC wants to give airlines the ability to give the flying to the lowest bidder and abrogate scope.
What are the facts which support this opinion? The RJDC is suing because when a clause was negotiated which directly affects their members, they should have had representation at the table. They were denied due representation, so they are suing.
